Dawgs By Nature
The NFL draft and a few key veterans can help the Browns roster move on from Myles Garrett
“Dread it. Run from it. Destiny arrives all the same. And now it's here.” While many might pull the darkness quote from Bane in “The Dark Knight Rises” to explain being a Cleveland Browns fan, the destiny quote from Thanos in “Avengers: Infinity War” is fitting for the feeling when we heard the news that DE Myles Garrett had requested a trade.
Browns fandom brings with it a feeling of impending doom as if it were our destiny.
Should the team give in to Garrett? The decision is simple and sobering to think about in Cleveland today. At this point, while all logic seems to point to the Browns calling Garrett’s bluff as they did with TE David Njoku a couple of years ago, planning for his departure is probably wise.
While there will be a ton of options, including the five teams we mentioned here, to start the reset in Cleveland and the Browns roster, just two trades could get the job done.
(To be clear, the cap process to trade Garrett is complicated but possible. Nothing GM Andrew Berry can’t handle.)
First, as shared over at Acme Packing Company (SB Nation’s Green Bay Packers blog), was moving Garrett to the Packers in their attempt to replicate the acquisition of Reggie White years ago. Justis Mosqueda and I went back and forth on trade details, including that this year’s NFL draft is in Green Bay so he needed to keep their first-round pick, before coming to this package for Garrett:
Willis gives Cleveland a starting quarterback option who has some experience with a similar system as the Browns will run this year. Watson will be recovering from a late-season ACL tear but could be available late in 2025 and GM Andrew Berry could negotiate an extension with the speedy receiver by then.
Willis will also be a free agent at the end of the season.
A third-round pick in 2024, Lloyd was the price Justis had to pay for not being able to offer this year’s first-round pick. Adding a second-round pick in 2025 gives the Browns five picks in the top 94 in this year’s NFL draft.
The 2026 first-round selection could end up helping Cleveland get their next quarterback like Arch Manning, Drew Allar, Cade Klubnik, Malachi Nelson, LaNorris Sellers or whoever else they might want (even if they need to trade up to get them). If Willis proves he can be the guy, the Browns have that much more ammunition to build around him.
With Garrett in Green Bay, Cleveland still has a lot of decisions to make. Willis provides them with a young quarterback to develop and cultivate while assuming...
